CE Disconnect: 47% of IP-Capable Home Devices Are Connected to Broadband

Makers of Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, smart TVs and streaming media devices are banking on users to connect to revenue-generating services over broadband, but less than half of those devices are actually tapped into the Internet, The NPD Group revealed in its latest a Connected Home report.

Just 47% of those devices are taking advantage of their online capabilities, though some devices are more often connected to broadband than others. According to NPD's survey of 4,000 U.S. consumers, streaming media players are connected at the highest rate, followed by game consoles, Blu-ray players and IP-capable TVs.

Such studies could establish a pecking order for pay-TV operators as they determine which connected device categories to focus on as they develop apps that stream their TV Everywhere content and live TV lineups. Based on current connectivity trends, streaming media players are expected to stay on a hot streak.